


A Selfless Sacrifice

by JemWithA_J



Category: Hornblower
Genre: Gen, spoiler warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-23 01:58:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19141294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JemWithA_J/pseuds/JemWithA_J
Summary: *MAJOR spoilers for Hornblower:Retribution. My take on the conversation that I firmly believe happened between Archie Kennedy & William Bush in the hours leading up to what happened in the end.





	A Selfless Sacrifice

“Horatio?”

Archie Kennedy’s voice was weak, his breathing shallow. William Bush looked over at him with concern from the next bed as Dr Clive inspected the gunshot wound to Archie’s stomach. The putrid smell of infection that filled the room as the doctor lifted the blood soaked bandages told Bush that it wasn’t good and as Dr Clive re-covered the wound and looked across at him, the little shake of the head he gave him sadly confirmed his suspicions.

“Horatio?”

Archie’s voice called again as Dr Clive left the cell, the metal door slamming shut and being locked behind him by the guard. William Bush got up from his own bed with a grimace. He himself was still recovering from the knife wound that he thought should have finished him off. Part of him couldn’t understand how he had recovered so quickly, though he was thankful for it. He gingerly walked across the room to Archie’s bedside, sitting down heavily in the chair beside him.

“Horatio...is that you?”

The young man’s eyes were still closed, his chest rising and falling with shaky breaths, the gleam of feverish sweat across his face.

“No, it’s William, Archie…”

Archie’s eyes flickered open at the sound of his voice. He blinked a few times, clearing the haze from his vision.

“You never use your first name…”

William smiled at the confused look on his friend’s face.

“Well we aren’t on deck any more. And not likely to be for a while either. So I supposed we had better get used to it.”

Archie managed a smile, a small one, before the pain once again became evident upon his face as he coughed, gasping for breath. William put a hand to his friend’s face, stroking back his hair, soothing him gently until he settled once more.

“Where is Horatio?”

His voice was weaker now as he looked at William with pained eyes.

“Still at the Court-martial.” William responded gently, “I am sure he will call on you when it is over…”

“I must go…”

Archie tried to rise from the bed but his arms buckled underneath him sending him crashing back down. William placed a hand to his shoulder.

“No Archie, you must rest and get better…”

“He is going to do something stupid for the sake of that bloody pride of his!” Archie managed, breathlessly, “He’s going to end up with a noose around his neck because he thinks he’s saving us all..argh!”

Archie took a sharp intake of breath, clutching at his side. William reached for a cloth, dipping it in a bowl of water before mopping his friend’s brow as he settled back down.

“What on earth are you talking about Archie?”

“I heard...I heard him talking to Doctor Clive. They want someone to blame for Sawyer’s fall. And I know he is going to take the blame for something he didn’t do to protect us all because he thinks it is the right thing to do…”

Archie looked at William with pained eyes.

“If they want a scapegoat then they may as well have me...I’m dead anyway…”

“Don’t be ridiculous Archie…” William stated strongly, shaking his head, “You are going to be just fine…”

“No...I’m not. I’ve seen the look on Doctor Clive’s face. The look on yours right now, though you try to hide it. Please do not take me for a fool…”

William looked at Archie, at his blue eyes flashing with determination despite the pain. Though they didn’t see eye to eye at first, he had grown rather fond of the young man who had risked his own life on more than one occasion, as well as saving him by practically throwing him off a clifftop. It wasn’t fair. He shouldn’t be lying here talking about death when he should have his whole life in front of him.

“Archie…” William began, closing his eyes and looking down at the ground, “If you do this...it will not just be your life on the line. Your reputation...your good name will be tainted forever. You don’t deserve that…”

Archie smiled, a little half smile, as William looked up at him once more.

“Rather mine than his.” Archie said, his voice soft, weak with pain but strong with determination, “I have never known a braver, more talented man than Horatio Hornblower. His name deserves to go down in the history books. If my good name and reputation must be sacrificed in order for that to happen then so be it. I have done nothing of importance anyway…”

William’s throat was tight with emotion as Archie chuckled softly. Emotion was something he had always tried his hardest to hide but in this moment he couldn’t as he watched this brave man, who didn’t think he was brave at all, readying himself to accept his fate in order to save his friend.

“You are not going to be talked out of this, are you?”

William managed eventually. With a small smile, Archie shook his head.

“No…”

Swallowing down the lump in his throat, William grasped Archie’s hands tightly.

“Then God speed, Archie Kennedy. And I will forever be indebted to you for saving my life. I will never forget it.”

The tears pooled in Archie’s eyes as William squeezed his hands.

“You’ve forgiven me for throwing you off a cliff then?”

Archie laughed through his tears and William smiled.

“Don’t go that far Kennedy.” He said, shaking his head, “I’m still having nightmares…”

As Archie laughed once more, William stayed by his side, grasping his hands, both of them trying to cling to the light before the darkness that was soon to descend upon them arrived.


End file.
